Chilika - Don't Go.
Chilika is a birder's mecca, we'd read. A million migratory birds -largest congregation in India. The largest brackish lake (950-1160 sq km, depending on if it's the monsoon season or summer) in India. A list to make your mouth (eyes?) water.In unspoilt Orissa. Had been wanting to go for years. This year, we found a 3-day slot in Jan and decided to just go. Did we see lots of birds? Yes. Is it beautiful? Yes. Should you go? No.
1. You can stay at OTDC acco in Barkul, Rambha or Satpada. We heard Barkul is 'better'. It's a con job. The 'resort' is dirty, tacky and charmless with rubbish strewn around its compound. Our 'a/c deluxe' room showed evidence of money spent and mismanaged. The tubelight in the bath didnt work, the floor was uneven leading to pools of stagnant water, the toilet seat was broken, and the room wasnt cleaned till we repeatedly asked for it. Groups come in to drink, play loud music and yell. Management (?) doesnt stop them.
2. Birds?? Barkul has none - or close to none. For the major congregations, you have to go to Nalabana sanctuary, which is closed , by boat- you will just skirt the edges, and see very few as they're all well within the boundaries. It's an hour out, 1/2 hour around and an hour back, all you'll see is gulls. The front desk has no knowledge of birds, and couldn't care less. For an OTDC at a Ramsar site, SHAME. COntrast this to Bharatpur, where the cycle rickshaw guides take a bird knowledge exam and carry 'the book of Indian birds'. Cannot comment on Rambha or Satpada.
We got there and were aghast. We'd flown from Bangalore for this? And we couldnt even relax and watch the view at the resort, or go for a walk along the lagoon (people squat there to shit).
Now the nice part. Wondering what to do, decided to call Chilika Development Authority, introducing ourselves as BNHS members. We were directed to the CDA center 2 km from Barkul, where Dr. Balachandran of BNHS had just landed to conduct the annual waterbird census. We met him, and he kindly agreed to have us join in. We left the next day early for Nalabana, and did we sing for our supper! Bird census is very different from bird watching. You don't have the luxury of watching a bird, looking at your bird book, identifying it, etc. you just have to count asap! Waded through at least 1 km of black slush,with Dr. Balachandran (he is The Ornithology God)counting, counting, counting. The water was about 2.5-3 feet deep. But there were tens of thousands of birds!! At one point, the sky seemed full of wheeling, calling birds. One beautiful spectacle was a flock of lesser flamingoes in flight. But the less said about the expertise and enthusiasm of many of the other census takers, the better. Well, so we got to spend time at Nalabana, and see many beautiful birds. (Red crested pochards, Lesser & Greater flamingoes, Bar-headed geese, thousands of Gadwalls, Wigeons, Shovellers and Pintails,Ruddy Shelducks, Avocets..about 35 species). But if we hadnt lucked onto the census, we wouldnt have. Hence the comment - don't go.
We preponed our trip by a day, as there was no more birding to be done, and left the next day. We didnt have the enthu to make the expensive, long trip to Satpada to see dolphins.
The road from Bhubaneshwar to Barkul is great. NH5 and empty. Also, Chilika Dhaba, 1 km from Barkul, tho dirty, serves HUGE, delicious prawns. We didnt taste anything else, but were told it's famous for all its dishes.
1. You can stay at OTDC acco in Barkul, Rambha or Satpada. We heard Barkul is 'better'. It's a con job. The 'resort' is dirty, tacky and charmless with rubbish strewn around its compound. Our 'a/c deluxe' room showed evidence of money spent and mismanaged. The tubelight in the bath didnt work, the floor was uneven leading to pools of stagnant water, the toilet seat was broken, and the room wasnt cleaned till we repeatedly asked for it. Groups come in to drink, play loud music and yell. Management (?) doesnt stop them.
2. Birds?? Barkul has none - or close to none. For the major congregations, you have to go to Nalabana sanctuary, which is closed , by boat- you will just skirt the edges, and see very few as they're all well within the boundaries. It's an hour out, 1/2 hour around and an hour back, all you'll see is gulls. The front desk has no knowledge of birds, and couldn't care less. For an OTDC at a Ramsar site, SHAME. COntrast this to Bharatpur, where the cycle rickshaw guides take a bird knowledge exam and carry 'the book of Indian birds'. Cannot comment on Rambha or Satpada.
We got there and were aghast. We'd flown from Bangalore for this? And we couldnt even relax and watch the view at the resort, or go for a walk along the lagoon (people squat there to shit).
Now the nice part. Wondering what to do, decided to call Chilika Development Authority, introducing ourselves as BNHS members. We were directed to the CDA center 2 km from Barkul, where Dr. Balachandran of BNHS had just landed to conduct the annual waterbird census. We met him, and he kindly agreed to have us join in. We left the next day early for Nalabana, and did we sing for our supper! Bird census is very different from bird watching. You don't have the luxury of watching a bird, looking at your bird book, identifying it, etc. you just have to count asap! Waded through at least 1 km of black slush,with Dr. Balachandran (he is The Ornithology God)counting, counting, counting. The water was about 2.5-3 feet deep. But there were tens of thousands of birds!! At one point, the sky seemed full of wheeling, calling birds. One beautiful spectacle was a flock of lesser flamingoes in flight. But the less said about the expertise and enthusiasm of many of the other census takers, the better. Well, so we got to spend time at Nalabana, and see many beautiful birds. (Red crested pochards, Lesser & Greater flamingoes, Bar-headed geese, thousands of Gadwalls, Wigeons, Shovellers and Pintails,Ruddy Shelducks, Avocets..about 35 species). But if we hadnt lucked onto the census, we wouldnt have. Hence the comment - don't go.
We preponed our trip by a day, as there was no more birding to be done, and left the next day. We didnt have the enthu to make the expensive, long trip to Satpada to see dolphins.
The road from Bhubaneshwar to Barkul is great. NH5 and empty. Also, Chilika Dhaba, 1 km from Barkul, tho dirty, serves HUGE, delicious prawns. We didnt taste anything else, but were told it's famous for all its dishes.
posted by AnJ at 11:28 AM
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